Director of Technology & Innovation

We are a JK – 8, co-educational school community focused on providing student-centred learning in a caring and nurturing environment. We combine our nearly 60 years of experience with leading-edge teaching and learning practices. Now more than ever, we know that our approach to academic and social-emotional development is what elementary school children need to grow and thrive.

Montcrest is at a very exciting time in our history. We have just launched a new Strategic Plan, and are about to complete a $12 million campus renovation, with 12,000 new and 8,000 renovated square feet of teaching and learning spaces for our students. We also will be celebrating the retirement of our current Head of School in June after 8 years of visionary leadership. Our next Head of School has been appointed, and will begin her transition to Montcrest this spring, ushering in an exciting new phase in our school’s rich history.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

One of the next important priorities, found in our Strategic Plan, is with respect to technology and innovation. We have created a new position on our leadership team, Director of Technology & Innovation, reporting to the Head of School, to bring new leadership to this important element of our school.

Over the next few years, the Director of Technology & Innovation will develop a vision and strategic plan for technology at Montcrest, and lead our school through the implementation of that plan to transform how we use technology to enhance our school operations and meet the needs of our teachers and students.

We are seeking a dynamic, innovative and visionary leader with excellent interpersonal skills. The successful candidate will have proven experience with change management both from a technical and people perspective. A teaching background is not essential, but experience in a school setting is. As with all members of the Montcrest staff, the new Director of Technology & Innovation will have the opportunity to fully participate in school life.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Overall 

• Develop a vision and strategic plan for the effective use of technology to enhance school operations and transform learning in the classroom 

  • Establish, plan, and monitor the vision, goals, policies, and strategy for technology.

  • Focus implementation first on school operations, including Admissions, Advancement, Student Records, Finance, and employee data. 

• Lead our 2-person IT team to ensure that the academic, communication, and operational goals are met by the infrastructure, hardware and software. 

• Work with the IT Team, and all departments/users to maintain the student information system, including data integrity and security. 

• Manage the development, maintenance, monitoring, and upgrading of all IT infrastructure and systems. 

• Work with the Director of Finance on budget for school-wide technology purchasing and planning. 

• Ensure that the school’s IT policies and procedures reflect current leading practices, and are properly communicated to all constituents including faculty, staff, parents, students.

• Ensure supporting documents and materials define organizational IT processes. 

Support for Teaching & Learning

• Provide vision and leadership to ensure the teaching and learning programme is supported by leading edge educational technology resources, pedagogy, professional development, best practices, and research.

• Collaborate with the school’s academic leaders to develop, monitor, and update a cohesive plan for the use of educational technology that best aligns with the school’s teaching and learning goals and mission, and to ensure pedagogical consistency. 

• Develop relationships and partnerships in the education community and other industries that enhance technology resources and educational technology skills. 

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Leadership and Interpersonal Qualities & Skills

• Have the demonstrated ability to manage strategic and detailed responsibilities and move easily between the two.

• Be a creative thinker/problem-solver, with an ability to bring fresh ideas to address challenges.

• A demonstrated consensus builder, able to arrive at decisions collaboratively with colleagues.

• Be a compassionate agent for change with excellent skills in active listening.

• Highly personable, able to work well with people.

• Be a strong communicator in both oral and written communication.

• Be results-oriented with the ability to effectively manage competing priorities and timelines.

• Be process-oriented with a demonstrated commitment to learning, adjusting and improving processes with the changing needs of the school in mind.

• Experience in project managing large scale technology implementations in educational settings.

• A demonstrated commitment to a growth mindset and ongoing professional growth.

Technical Experience, Education, Skills & Qualifications

• Technical knowledge in the fields of computer science, computer education, and a broad range of IT functions, processes and capabilities (e.g. networking, security, infrastructure, information management, cloud technologies, etc.).

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of instructional technology and experience working with educators.

• Familiarity with a variety of educational technologies and digital solutions in school settings, including Google Apps for Education.

• Demonstrated experience with development and maintenance of student management systems and course content systems.

• A strong business acumen, with experience developing and managing a department budget.

• Proficiency with multiple platforms and devices and experience developing and implementing a conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of an organization. The intent of an enterprise architecture is to determine how an organization can most effectively achieve its current and future objectives.

• Bachelor’s degree or other post-secondary education in Computer Programming, Networking, or Computer Science.

• Five years minimum related experience at senior manager/director level in a school setting.

• It would be an asset, but not a requirement, to have a Master's degree in Information Technology, Curriculum, or School Administration.

Does our school and this posting sound like something that fits your skills, abilities, interests, and passions? We welcome your application! Please send your résumé and cover letter to careers@montcrest.ca.

We will begin contacting applicants of interest in early March. The ideal start date is in the spring.

Montcrest School is an equal opportunity employer, and we strive to foster an inclusive, equitable, diverse, and accessible environment. We welcome applications from all interested individuals, however only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.